Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally rubber-coated fabrics suitable for reinforcement of rubber articles and more particularly to rubber-coated tire cord fabrics.
Description of the Related Art
The tire industry has for many years provided tires constructed with belts for reinforcement. The belts are made of layers of textile or steel wire that have been coated with a rubber composition and they are positioned under the tread to stiffen the tire casing, thereby improving wear performance, handling response, damage resistance and protection of the ply cords from road hazards.
In addition to the belted construction, tires may include a cap ply positioned between the tread and the belts. The cap ply is positioned in the circumferential direction to hold the belts in place and to prevent them from growing or expanding when the tire runs at a high speed and generates heat. The cap ply may be constructed from woven fabrics that have been coated with a rubber composition.
Since the material used to form the cap ply is typically manufactured in large sheets, these sheets must be cut into sections having the proper width for positioning on the tire during the tire build. The industry has sought solutions that improve the manufacturing process of such material to minimize waste.